Tone vs Chops

[PJMiDi]

Yes both are important in different ways. Which do you feel affects your playing more.

For me its tone, i never play anything that fancy or "impressive" to most, but i work on making the sound in my head come out as much as i can with eq/fx

just curious how the rest of you feel.

[Rage1331]

Personally, carrots are the most important to me. I always make sure I tie a line of thread around a couple and hang them from my headstock before a gig. Nobody cares what you play when you have carrots hanging from your bass.

[EscapeNote]

Oh, for cryin' out loud...

[topo morto]

[fdeck]

Troll thread is thread

Technique is how you achieve tone. The two are inseparable.

[PJMiDi]

Originally Posted by fdeck

Troll thread is thread

Technique is how you achieve tone. The two are inseparable.

Would never dispute technique has a major influence on tone, I think I asked the question wrong. I'm more asking about when you write a bass line before the rest of a song is written; what influences it more? Is it composition theory, feel, technique, or what sound you want to create.

Wasn't trying to troll my bad

[Phalex]

I usually only ever play one note at a time. That note better sound good!

[baba]

Tone can be bought. Chops cannot.

Noboby but the bassist and a couple musicians in the audience care about tone. Everyone in the audience cares whether your playing is tight (whether they can consciously isolate it or not) and makes the song sound better.

[stflbn]

Define "Chops"

Because if it's playing in a manner that's appropriate and fitting for the music you're playing... then Chops is most important.

If it's "playing with speed and intricacy in complete disregard for the music you're playing" then Tone is definitely better.

I know a lot more dudes with 'chops' than I know with 'playin' smarts'.

[5StringBlues]

Feel


I mean carrots.

[fdeck]

I admit that I come from a background of learning a different instrument -- the cello -- before picking up the bass. And now the scales have tipped towards upright being my main instrument.

Still... I'm pretty convinced by the approach of most string teachers, that technique, tone, groove, ear, intonation, etc., all develop together and support one another. My son takes cello lessons now, and his teacher spends quite a lot of time at each lesson working on getting a good tone. My son's technique is improving as a result.

"Tone" might mean something different on electric, being a fretted and more percussive instrument, but I still think it's linked to technique. The solid, consistent playing that adds so much impact to rock music, and the ability to execute on the "feel" required by a particular tune, definitely depend on good chops.

[topo morto]

Originally Posted by PJMiDi

I'm more asking about when you write a bass line before the rest of a song is written; what influences it more? Is it composition theory, feel, technique, or what sound you want to create.

If I'm composing something original on bass, I probably initially "forget everything and just play". This probably means it ends up with elements of whatever technique I'm practicing at the time. My few scraps of music theory come in handy if I want to get it to sound more like an idea in my head...

When I'm writing on guitar/synths/csound/ableton, I "let the timbre drive" more than when I'm writing on bass.

[VanillaThundah]

Originally Posted by stflbn

Define "Chops"

Because if it's playing in a manner that's appropriate and fitting for the music you're playing... then Chops is most important.

If it's "playing with speed and intricacy in complete disregard for the music you're playing" then Tone is definitely better.

I know a lot more dudes with 'chops' than I know with 'playin' smarts'.

Gotta agree on this one

"Chops" to me is comfortably knowing your way around the instrument you are playing without too much stress. To some people, "chops" is something you don't have until you can play YYZ perfectly on a 4-string.

I know a lotta guys would be right in saying that chops matter the most, and by my definition they would. Consider this though, have you ever been around a player that was very talented but had AWFUL tone? Someone can screw up on bass and there is a staunch chance the audience won't be able to tell. If you bass tone is audible and offensively so, everyone can tell.

that is why I chose carrots

[Sonicfrog]

I chops me carrots.

So, when applying the rules dictated by the process of elimination, only tone remains, and therefore, tone MUST be the obvious unquestionable answer!!!

PS. I voted "carrots" anyway!

[BeanzCorp]

I agree with Baba. Alot of people work hard to get chops and others seem to be born with them. When i go into a lick, i don't even think about it, it just naturally comes to me.
Chops and tone are synonymous though. Theres no point in having chops if your playing through a rubbish bass *cough*Peavey*cough* lol JK.

[mongo2]

I've already got the chops I need and I've found it easy to get the tone I want...so carrots.

[fokof]

What's more important , your right or your left hand ?

[msb3671]

Chops are tone for me. I use a 'flat' EQ, don't mess with my tone knob, so my chops create my tone.

I do enjoy carrots however. Good for the eyes. Ensures a smooth movement.

[Zoa]

Chopped carrots are good for your skin tone.

[pacojas]

chops with a side order of carrots...

for dessert, a slice of tone pie.